Canteen: How Frome’s community restaurant has fared so far
All photos by Peter Halpin @theartfultographer
Two weeks ago, Frome Food Network hosted the second – and last for 2024 – iteration of Canteen. Over the course of about two hours, 136 of you turned up, paid-what-you-could for a nutrient-dense dinner of Frome bean tagine and lemon and fennel polenta cake, and in the process helped establish what might eventually become a staple part of the Frome community.
If you came to any of the two Canteens and paid more than what we asked, thank you. If you came and ate and made a small donation, thank you. If you came and ate free of charge, thank you. If you supported the project with hyperlocal produce, or lent your time to it in any other way – cooking, hall-dressing, or even general background encouragement – thank you to you too.
This really helped it live up to the idea of a ‘community’ restaurant – as well as those who came and ate, about 30 people or organisations based in Frome were directly involved in putting the project together over both events.
Today’s mailout is also intended to point out that FFN is currently exploring what Canteen might look like in 2025 – where could it be held to host a larger contingent of guests? What tweaks might need to be made to make it financially sustainable? What other expertise could we draw on to help make it happen?
If you have any feedback or suggestions you’d like to field, simply reply to this email.
While we’re at a point of reflection, here are Canteen’s numbers across both events:
264 meals served
£8.50 average cost-to-make price of a meal
£9.85 average spent in a meal
43 meals paid forward
Roughly 30 people came on their own
87.5% of ingredients from local, organic/nature-friendly sources
About 130 litres food waste destined for Loop community compost
Which, I think it’s fair to say, is a brilliant start.
Canteen will return in some form in 2025. For any updates in that regard, you’ll hear about those here and on Canteen’s Instagram.
Canteen is part of The Frome Food Network’s residency with Future Shed. Future Shed is part of Green & Healthy Frome, a partnership programme of Edventure Frome, Frome Medical Practice and Frome Town Council taking action on health and climate, funded by the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund.